Gambling and Increasing crime Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Gambling and Increasing crime - Research Paper Example Whether the idea that legalizing gambling will actually help to decrease the crime rate and if it is itself a good idea to do so. There are many sides to this argument and while some critics outright claim that crime is caused by gambling there are many others who will claim otherwise. Some hold that gambling does not cause crime but helps to better society. Gambling has been a part of society for a very long time and it can take many forms and shapes. There are various definitions of the idea which is more or less taken to mean the betting of money or other valuables on the outcome of a certain event. In 1566 England, for the first time, chartered a lottery and by 1620 there was regular gambling or wagering on dog races in England. However, in 1621 the first form of restrictions were placed on gambling and then in 1815 there were licenses handed over to the city of New Orleans for gambling and by 1827 John Davis had opened a fully functional Casino in the city that was to cater to the gambling needs of the rich and elite. The history of gambling continues but later on down the road corruption and crime began to mix with the sport and it became more of a problem for the governments of the world and there were moves to eradicate it. Yet some resisted and there was a change in strategy and it was thought to better legalize and hand out li censes to casinos rather than shelve gambling and force it to be taken up underground. Many states in America resisted this move and even in 1981 the New York legislature was not ready to authorize casinos to operate in the city (Thompson, xvii). The practice has also been on the rise not only in the United States but all over the world (Momper, Delva and Grogan-Kaylor, 7). Gambling itself is not taken to be a bad practice as many people do it. It is a particularly popular in Britain in the form of betting on race horses and even lotteries are a gamble of sorts

Environmental Systems Of Wastewater Management Environmental Sciences Essay

Environmental Systems Of Wastewater Management Environmental Sciences Essay Wastewater is any liquid waste that is discharged from such places such as residential areas, industries and agricultural areas. Though the water is negatively affected by human impacts on the environment and may contain a large number of contaminants, it mostly consists of pure water, up to 95%. Throughout the world, an increase in the discharge of wastewater is causing a major impact on our environment. Wastewater pollution is more and more a danger to our planet because of rapid population growth, and increasing demand in water supply and sanitation provision. According to research, every liter of wastewater pollutes up to 8 liters of freshwater. Hence, each year, around 12,000 km3 of the globes water resources may not available to us. By 2050, the anticipated population of the world is thought to rise to 9 billion and if the wastewater pollution keeps on with the same speed with the population growth, the worlds water resources could see a drastic reduction by around 18,000 km3 annually. For now, in developing countries, around a tenth of the overall domestic wastewater is collected and only about nine-tenth of the existing wastewater treatment plants do not operate reliably or efficiently. Adverse effects or inadequate wastewater handling: increased illness and mortality lead to loss in terms of finance 4 million lost person-years annually cost of production of drinking and industrial water increases; water tariffs increases $56 billion annually World Panel on Financing Water Infrastructure US, March 2003 loss of income in fisheries and aquaculture sector tourists are deterred by the poor water quality loss of valuable biodiversity, both in the water and land surrounding the affected water 70% of coral reefs real estate values fall in value because quality of the surroundings is deteriorated Wastewater Local Overview In Mauritius, there are about 100 industrial units engaged in several activities resulting in some kind of water pollution. When liquid effluents are discharged from industries, they tend to go into the hydrological cycles and thus adversely affect the ecosystems and the quality of water reaching the consumers. Moreover when looking at the small size of our island, we can deduce that those effluents can very easily and rapidly pollute most of our water sources, from rivers to the seas. Many of the industries that pollute most of our water are basically found in 3 main industrial zones which are: Plaine Lauzun Coromandel Vacoas-Phoenix Firstly, the Plaine Lauzun zone includes the galvanizing, food canning, dye houses, ethanol distilleries, soap, detergent and chemical manufacturing industries. Their daily water consumption is approximately 5000m3 and they discharge their respective wastewater effluents to the Fort Victoria Sewerage treatment in Port Louis whereby only a pre treatment is carried out. Moreover the pre-treated wastewater is discharged 800m into the sea which will in turn find its way in the nearby beach named Bain des Dames where high fish mortality rate have been reported due to the release of heavy polluted water. Secondly, the Coromandel Industrial zone comprise of industries such as food processing, dye houses and soap industries. Their daily water consumption is about 3000m3 and they discharge their untreated wastewater by means of a 600m outfall into the sea at Pointe aux Sables to Port Louis. As a result, these effluents have been the cause of the total death of the reef opposite Pointe aux Sables. Thirdly, the Vacoas-Phoenix zone consists of about 30 industries including one edible oil refinery and six dye houses. Their daily water consumption is about 2000m3 and they discharge their untreated wastewater into the local sewerage network which leads to the St Martin treatment plant whereby a primary treatment is carried out before it is then discharged to the sea at Pointe Moyenne. Moreover there exists a potential for health effects to crop up since during the rainy season, overflowing of water can cause a considerable amount of effluents to be discharged into river Du Mesnil which in fact is joined up to Grand River North West and from which water is extracted for domestic purposes. On the other hand, there exist several other industries which are distributed all around the island and that in turn contribute to the pollution of water and these consist of galvanizing, dyeing, battery manufacture, leather tanning and washing industries. However since these industries do not generally carry out any onsite treatment of their effluents before they discharged it in surface waters or pits and caverns, hence there is a high possibility of aquifers being contaminated by such methods of discharge. Disposal routes of wastewater Rivers All around the world, rivers are the most often used as pathways of wastewater discharge. If not rivers, then canals and tributaries are used which eventually end up in a river. Sea Many industries found near to the sea use the sea as their dump for wastewater. Further wastewater is added to the sea through rivers. Sewers Industries direct their wastewater through sewers to the nearest treatment plant. On-site treatment Industries treat their wastewater as far as possible to make it comply with the countrys legislation. Sometimes the water may be reused by the industry itself. Carting away The wastewater is carried away in specialized dedicated vehicles to be disposed off somewhere more appropriate. This method is used when the water is of a kind that cannot be discharged in the nature even if treated and hence it is sent somewhere its potentially negative effects can be neutralized. Irrigation The wastewater is used for irrigation if it non-toxic and is considered suitable for the task. Major sources of wastewater in Mauritius Sugar Industry Since the sugar industry is one of the main pillars of our economy, we ensure it will still be one in the near future and thus limit its negative effects on our environment. Standards for effluent limitation have been introduced by Mauritian authorities to sugar factories and these norms have been in force since October 1999. But many sugar mills in Mauritius are not yet equipped with a conventional secondary or advanced treatment. For factories that can not dilute their wastewater before discharge or that cannot use their wastewater for irrigation, an appropriate treatment technique should be found for treatment of their medium to high strength wastewater so as to comply with the existing environmental law. Wastewater from sugar factories is considered as non-toxic organic source of pollution so it would be acceptable to have a biological treatment system. The sugar industry produces at least 5 million meter cube of wastewater per year (2001). What produces wastewater in the sugar industry? Cooling water: mainly used for condenser, bearing cooling, sulphur/lime houses and crystallizer for formation of crystal. Process water: used in the sugar making process. Parameters Standards Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) 90 Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) 30 pH 5-9 Conductivity 2000 Total Suspended Solids (TSS) 45 Oil Grease No visible oil SAR 6 Cl- 250 SO42- 500 The above table shows the standards of effluent (wastewater) according to the Standards of Effluent for Discharge Government Notice 2003. Major sources of wastewater in Mauritius Textile Industry The textile industry is another important pillar of our economy and textile factories can be found all around the island. Due to the various processes (sizing, bleaching, dying) existing in the textile industry, a considerable amount of water is being used and thus a very large amount of wastewater for discharge is produced. Unfortunately, not all the textile factories are equipped enough to cater for their wastewater treatment and many of them discharge toxic and untreated wastewater in nearby rivers and canals. Textile wastewater may consist of: Natural fibers: wool, hair, silk, cotton, flax Synthetic fibers: rayon, nylon Chemicals: dyes, de-foamers, bleaches, detergents, optical brighteners, equalizers In the past recent years, many incidents concerning discharge of untreated wastewater by textile industries directly into natural water bodies have taken place such Mon Dà ©sert Alma canal pollution by the Compagnie Mauricienne de Textile Ltee (Verdun). Major sources of wastewater in Mauritius Breweries Brewery has become a very important industry in Mauritius since it has a so vast market now. Brewery operations tend to produce considerable amounts of wastewater as waste products. Even by implementing new technological improvements in the past, it is estimated that around 3 to 10 liters of wastewater is generated for every liter of beer produced in breweries. The quantity of brewery wastewater produced will normally depend on the production and the water usage. Brewery wastewater may contain: Wort and beer wastes, spent grain and grain dusts. Fermentation solids, yeast wastes. Waste water of CIP equipment (cleaning and disinfection equipment. Sodium wastes from the CIP equipment. Acid solution from CIP equipments. Caustic soda from PVPP filters. Waste water with kieselguhr. Alkaline cleaning water. Alkaline waste water from bottle cleaning system. Insoluble substance, paper and cardboard, aluminium and ferrous metals. Soluble substance like adhesive, metals salt and conveyer lubricant. Oil and grease track from the equipments lubrication. Beer wastes from returned bottles and kegs. Even different lubricants cannot be eliminated so they finish in water. Such substances increase the percentage of contamination of waste waters. Many of the above substances, such as yeast, sodium, caustic soda alkaline water, may lead to negative consequences if let without treatment in natural water bodies. Major sources of wastewater in Mauritius Hotels Tourism is the third most important sector in Mauritius. Tourists come to Mauritius for its sand, sun and sea. But now the seas, and eventually the sand, are in danger of deterioration. This is because of the mismanagement of wastewater by some hotels. Hotels with more than 75 rooms are now required to be equipped with treatment plants so as to render their wastewater of a quality according to the norms. To ensure this, frequent monitoring should be carried out by the Waste Water Management. There are approximately 44 wastewater treatment plants in hotels all over the island which produce 7000 m3 of sludge every day. The treated water is then used for irrigation by the hotel itself. Discharging wastewater which is out of the regulatory norms may cause negative effects such as the degradation of our seas and coastal regions where foul smell will emanate eventually, the death of marine animals and vegetation. These problems directly affect the tourism industry as well as the lives of fishermen. Agro-industry (chemicals) It is only with important amounts of fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides that modern agriculture in Mauritius can increase its yield. But intensively using agro-chemicals is not an unmixed blessing since its repercussions can be seen at a later stage. 48% (90,100 hectares) of the island is under cultivation and up to 57,500 tons of fertilizer is used each year, which is well above the norms. The problem with excessive use of agro-chemicals is when they are washed away by rain and reach surface water bodies or underground water. The acceptable level of nitrate in water is 45mg/l. Excess nitrate in water causes fast-growing plant life like algae and weeds and the water body becomes clogged all over. Impacts of wastewater on the environment In Mauritius, wastewater comes from mainly industrial processes, sewage consisting of human wastes, organic wastes, and from the agricultural sector pollutants such as animal wastes, pesticides and fertilizers. Today, due to a real change in terms of development in many areas in industrial and agricultural practices, our rivers and other water bodies are the most affected. Mauritius consists of four main aquifers namely as Curepipe aquifer, the Northern, Southern and Eastern aquifers. Taking into account the National Physical Development Plan (volume I p 134) it has been found that our aquifers have been badly polluted due to a lack of proper sanitation which can be described as sewage, wastewater, refuse disposal and bad practices in agriculture. Effects on aquatic wildlife Our sea, lakes, rivers and groundwater are the greatly affected by water pollution, much of it coming from wastewater. Pollution not only affects the quality of the water but also the lives of the species inhabiting it. Change in temperature A change in temperature (e.g hot water from sugar factories) affects the aquatic ecosystem. Although the temperature is increased by only few degrees, this may affect many varieties of fishes and plants. This causes a problem in the food cycle because some fishes that prey on other fishes and plants will have difficulties in finding their food they need. In their turn, they will have to move elsewhere or very often will lead to extinction of some plants and species. Furthermore, an increase in the temperature level of the water causes a reduction in the oxygen percentage in the water and thus resulting in chemical and biological reactions due to this unnatural process. With time, the movement of living organisms, respiration process and metabolism of aquatic plants and animals within the water itself will be at high risks. Pollutants in the wastewater On the other hand, another main water pollutant is the wastes generated by industrial processes which are discharged into rivers. It has been found that if wastes in lesser amounts are discharged in rivers, they can self-purify themselves but if the concentration and amount of wastes are high, then their impacts also will be high. Thus, excessive amounts of wastes chemicals discharged into rivers will not only disrupt the ecosystem but also causes the death of much aquatic life and will lead to bad odors. Sometimes some aquatic animals might not die when exposed to these pollutants but consuming these toxic animals not only will cause poisoning to the consumer but also will have an impact on the reduction of food processing and consumption. Potable water becomes scarce Moreover, consumable water for human beings and animal farming might indirectly bear severe consequences. Because Mauritius is a small island, wastewater released by industries can flow easily across many rivers and resulting in rapid pollution. The problem does not end here because if untreated wastewater reaches underground water reserves and contaminates it, we will be in lack of potable water for consumption. Eutrophication This occurs when a water body becomes abnormally enriched with nutrients. This might be caused by fertilizers run-off into nearby water. Excess nutrients causes phytoplankton to grow and reproduce much more rapidly than they would normally, thus resulting in algal blooms which disrupts the normal ecosystem functioning. The large amount of algae exhausts the oxygen in the water thus depriving it from other marine life. This is why many aquatic organisms end up dead but the process of eutrophication continues; the excess algae blocks the sunlight from marine plants which use photosynthesis to live. Furthermore, some algae might produce certain toxins that can be harmful to other animals and even to man. This effect can destroy the entire food chain of the ecosystem affected. Impacts of wastewater on the health of people exposed Consumption of contaminated wastewater In Mauritius it is very rare for people to consume any kind of contaminated water. However, a continuous exposure to low level of contaminants for a long time may cause diseases such as Cancer Liver and kidney damage Nervous system disorders Immune system disorders Birth defects But consumption of high concentration of contaminants may cause the following immediate health effects: Nausea Lung irritation Skin rash Vomiting Dizziness Death When exposed to odors emanating from wastewater Wastewater often has bad odor due to contaminants like sulfur. The following health effects might be seen on people exposed: Coughing / Sore throat Lung problems Headaches Eyes related diseases Examples of wastewater mismanagement The Rivià ¨re du Rempart polluted because of untreated wastewater Mon-Loisir sugar factory was at the centre of a controversy concerning the pollution of the Rivià ¨re du Rempart. The problem has been that the sugar factory discharged dirty and untreated water (wastewater) directly into a tributary river to the Rivià ¨re du Rempart. But according to Joseph Vaudin, the CEO of Mon-Loisir sugar factory, the problem was that the tank farm with foam and bagasse to be used in the fields during the sugarcane cutting periods, which was close to the tributary of the Rivià ¨re du Rempart, ruisseau Chevrette overwhelmed with the heavy rains we had earlier this year. And thus this wastewater discharge was unintentional. rempart.jpg More contribution to the discharge into the river sewage, composed of mud and scum, was brought by a faulty irrigation pipe. But this was detected and repaired within an hour. Jean-Luc Harel, plant manager, stated that the other end of the pipe which is normally concrete will be replaced with steel to avoid this kind of problem in the future. The local inhabitants, of whom several were very irritated, had several complaints pertaining to the discharge of dirty water from the factory directly into the river used by so many. Impacts on the inhabitants: The foul unbearable odor from the river once it is contaminated. The negative effects such as breathing problems to people inhabiting near the river. The water is no more usable for purposes such as irrigation. No more recreation site (people used to swim in the river). Fishing in the river is no more safe. A kind of vegetation seems to be proliferating on the surface of the water, contributing to pollution by; blocking organic materials and all kinds of waste thrown by man, and thus leading to the death of aquatic animals such as fish shrimps. Wastewater from Consolidated Fabrics Ltd, Balaclava Consolidated Fabrics Limited (CFL) factory at Solitude has been, since a few years, dumping toxic wastewater illegally in Rivià ¨re Citron. The norms of the Standards of Effluent for Discharge (Second Schedule) Government Notice 2003 and those of the Guidelines for Inland Surface Water Quality have not been respected. Ending its course in the Turtle Bay sea, this river runs through Balaclava and thus residents of Balaclava have been seriously affected by the bad odour that emanates from the illegal chemical. cfl2.jpg Fig. 03 Despite having voiced out their grievances and the potential health threat many times, the Balaclava Residents Association (BRA) members have seen no action being taken by CFL. Many residents have noticed that these odors are ten times more frequent than before. Impacts on local residents: Many are experiencing a suffocating smell of rotten egg across the morcellement. Almost every resident has complained of nausea, giddiness, sore throats, coughing, vomiting and headaches. One person has even reported of her baby having a rash. People most affected by the smell have to close their windows and doors even at times when the weather was very hot. Impacts on the environment: The river is an eyesore to people. It is not worthy of a paradise island. Aquatic life is being ruined. Fish eels can no more survive in such a polluted river. The water can no more be used for irrigation. The river ends its course in the sea and hence marine life is no more safe. People have reported that their pets have started to cough. cfl3.jpg Fig. 04 Examples of wastewater mismanagement Unbearable odor at Bain-Boeuf beach Bain-Boeuf beach was very much appreciated by everyone until people started complaining about an unbearable odor on the beach and its vicinity. Bain-Boeuf beach is surrounded by many hotels of which some have treatment plants to treat their wastewater. One of the hotels has been discharging its untreated wastewater into the sea. Furthermore, wastewater from agricultural lands might have been washed into the seas bringing in nitrates, phosphates and sulfates. The chemicals above cause a surplus of nutrients in the sea and cause the algae to grow to an abnormal proportion. This process is called eutrophication. The problem is further aggravated with the death of these algae. This causes more harm to the marine life and is also the cause of the foul smell experienced by people around. Furthermore when the algae starts to decompose, it produces hydrogen sulfate, a toxic gas, which when inhaled at high concentrations may cause death. In addition to water and air pollution, there is also land pollution since the dead algae is washed on the shore and is clearly an eyesore. Bain-Boeuf beach has not been practicable as long as the problem has persisted. Conclusion Reference Page

The Rosetta Stone :: essays research papers fc

Introduction The Rosetta stone the key to the Egyptians I chose the Rosetta stone because of its mysteries and unsolved scripts and hieroglyphics. It occurred to me when I was reading up on Egyptians. I hope to learn the guarded secrets it holds so I can know to decipher the ancient texts and to reveal the secrets of the Egyptians. The Rosetta stone is found in a British museum in London. The Rosetta stone is three feet nine inches long, two feet four and a half inches wide, and eleven inches thick. The Rosetta stone was discovered in 1799 that may mean that it has been lost for almost 1400 years. Athanasius kircher, a German priest of the 1600s, wrote the first grammar and vocabulary of Coptic, the language of the Christian Egypt. The French general Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Egypt with an army of 38,000 soldiers. Egyptians wrote on stones called slabs. In 1802, the Rosetta stone was shipped to England. On august 1st the British army caught the French fleet off guard and completely destroyed Alexandria. After almost one hundred years of deciphering the Rosetta stones hieroglyphics were translated in 1850. The Rosetta stone has three different scripts. People who could write in ancient times were called scribes. Scribes wrote on paper called papyrus. The advance language called Coptic replaced the ancient Egyptians language. Coptic had then had been replaced by a further advanced language called Arabic. Egyptians wrote in sign called hieroglyphics. Instead of the word people in Egyptian language it was called demotic. On July 1,1798 Napoleons army captured the city Alexandria. Napoleon entered the Egyptian capital, Cairo in July on the 21st. Egyptian text that was enclosed in an oval outline is called a cartouche. Cartouche a French word meaning cartridge. French surrender to British September 1801. Jean Franà §ois Champollion was born 1790. Champollion graduated in 1807. Champollion, in 1822 was reserved a position on deciphering the hieroglyphics on the Rosetta stone. Thothmes was a pharaoh who ruled from 1501 to 1447 B.C. A book on hieroglyphics was published in 1824. On March 4, 1832 Champollion died in series of strokes. By 2500 B.C. complete sentences began appearing on tomb inscriptions. Demotic was first known as hieratic. The French discovered the Rosetta stone in 1799. Conclusion The researcher learned that the Rosetta stone is one of the most important artifacts of the Egyptians. It was written in three ancient scripts and is located at the British museum in London.

John Stuart Mill Essay

Moral theories try to explain what distinguishes right actions from wrong ones. The theory of utilitarianism tries to do the same by incorporating several aspects that set up a moral standard to help investigate the balance between right and wrong. John Stuart Mill, a British philosopher of the 1800’s defends the utilitarian school of thought by pointing out what it is that makes utilitarianism the standard theory for morality. According to Utilitarianism as explained by Mill in his essay â€Å"In Defense of Utilitarianism† the fundamental principle of morality is the promotion of happiness on a scale that benefits an individual and the ones around him; also to promote pleasure and to prevent pain. Several major objections are raised towards the moral theory of utilitarianism some examples can be the idea that the theory asserts too much emphasis on pursuing pleasure which makes it â€Å"a doctrine worthy of swine† (â€Å"Defense†). Another objection is that in everyday circumstances it is impossible for humans to make a morally just decision (â€Å"Defense†). An additional counter-argument that struck me the most was the statement that utilitarianism sets standards that are deemed â€Å"too high for humanity† (â€Å"Defense†). What this objection projects are the predisposed and unwarranted capabilities of the human race. According to this statement humanity is made comparable to other (lower ranking) species that lack the intrinsic values that make us humans human; like thinking faculties that are much superior to other animals or the ability to have languages or develop intricate cultural systems, just to name few. Therefore, making this objection a weak one and one that displays an inferior and subjacent view towards the principle of morality. Mill on the other hand deduces the true motives of these objections and labels these ideas as being of such nature that promote actions in accordance with one obliging to a certain duty. If that is the case then individuals can be comprised of nothing but a niche in society. He argues that ethics holds the responsibility of outlining our duties, fulfilling them is dependent only on factors that promote the larger well being of a society. Mill states such objections as â€Å"misapprehensions† and transcribes an important point which nonetheless reconstructs and fabricates the idea of utilitarianism; he states â€Å"this affirms that the motive has nothing to do with the morality of the action, though much with the worth of the agent. † (â€Å"Defense†).

Designing Compensation Systems and Employee Benefits Essay

A compensation system has an important role in a company. An ideal compensation system can motivate employees to enhance their job performance. An organization can use adequate compensation to retain talented employees. Retaining talented employees is important because they help organizations grow and earn high profits. A well-constructed compensation system is the key to an organization being successful and prosperous (â€Å"Importance of Compensation,† 2007). To further elaborate on the importance of compensation, the differences amongst job analysis and job evaluation and how these practices aid in creating internally consistent job structures will be described, and details will be given on the challenges that occur when creating compensations that are both internally consistent and market competitive. Also, the fairness of merit increases based upon quartiles will be discussed, the fundamental concept of insurance and how this concept applies to health care will be discussed, and the changes in the business environment and society that may affect the importance of legally required benefits will be described. Describe the Differences Between Job Analysis and Job Evaluation and How These Practices Help Establish Internally Consistent Job Structures Job analysis and job evaluation are the key to creating internally consistent job structures. An internally consistent compensation system will define the relative worth of each job amongst all jobs in a company. Companies use a basic principle when creating internally consistent compensation systems, which is jobs that require higher abilities, more responsibilities, and more intricate job tasks should be compensated more than jobs that require lower abilities, lesser responsibilities, and fewer intricate job tasks. Internally consistent job structures recognize distinctions in job traits that allow compensation managers to set pay based upon the distinctions. Furthermore, compensation professionals create internally consistent job structures by using job analysis and job evaluation. A job analysis will reveal the duties as well as compensation factors such as skill and effort that are required to sufficiently perform the job. The results of the job analysis will be used to conduct the job evaluation. Job evaluation will create pay differentials for jobs within a company. The results of the job analysis help compensation professionals set pay rates by quantifying the main similarities and differences between jobs (Martocchio, 2011). In the end, the job evaluation will categorize jobs according to their relative worth in the company. The relative worth of a job will be determined based upon compensation factors such as skill, job duties, and working conditions. Finally, job evaluation will guarantee internal equity because the value of jobs will be determined based upon compensation factors (Williams, 2012). Describe the Challenges in Developing Compensations That are Both Internally Consistent and Market Competitive One challenge in creating compensation systems that are internally consistent and market competitive deals with flexibility. Internally consistent pay systems have the potential to decrease a company’s flexibility to react to changes in the pay practices of competitors because job analysis creates structured job descriptions and job structures. Also, job evaluation creates the relative value of jobs within an organization. Reacting to competitors may require employees to perform tasks that are not included in their job descriptions whenever competitive pressures arise. This process makes equity appraisals more difficult because the definitions of jobs become more changeable (Martocchio, 2011). Moreover, some employees may resent being required to perform tasks that are not in their job descriptions. These employees may believe that the employers are taking advantage of them because they are not being compensated for performing the extra job duties. As a result, employees could become unmotivated to help their employers compete against competitors. Another challenge in developing compensations that are both internally consistent and market competitive is the bureaucracy that results from the internally consistent compensation structures. Organizations that develop job hierarchies have a tendency to create narrowly defined jobs, which results in larger number of jobs and staffing levels. This type of structure can place heavy compensation burdens on companies. Heavy compensation burdens can reduce profits for companies, which can affect whether companies use a market lead, market match, or market lag policy for compensating employees. Organizations that use the market lead policy compensate its employees more highly than most of its competitors. Employees receive pay that is above the market pay line. Organizations that use the market match policy compensate employees based upon the market pay rates. Employees will receive pay on the market pay line. The market lead and market match policies can help companies attract and retain talented employees; thus, the companies using these policies can obtain competitive advantage in a highly competitive business environment by using its talented employees. Furthermore, organizations using the market lag policy compensate its employees less than the majority of its competitors. Employees receive pay below the market pay line (Martocchio, 2011). Furthermore, a company should not be forced to choose the market lag policy because of heavy compensation burdens that could result from bureaucracy. Some companies may use the market lag policy as a cost savings method to offset heavy compensation burdens. A market lag policy could prevent a company from attracting and retaining talented employees, which could affect the competitiveness of a company. Moreover, a company could lose customers and profits if it does not have the talented employees in place to produce goods and services than can compete with the goods and services of competitors. Two Employees Perform the Same Job and Each Received Exemplary Performance Ratings. Discuss Whether it is Fair to Give One Employee a Smaller Percentage Merit Increase Because His Pay Falls Within the 3rd Quartile But Give a Larger Percentage Merit Increase to the Other Because His Pay Falls Within the 1st Quartile and Explain Why Supervisors use the merit pay grid to designate merit increases to employees. A merit pay grid contains a pay range for a pay grade. The pay range is divided into four quartiles. Employees with the lowest salaries fall into quartile 1. The salaries increase as the quartiles increase. Employees with the highest salaries fall into quartile 4. Furthermore, the lower an employee’s salary falls within its designated pay grade the larger the percentage pay raise. For example, if two employees perform the same job and both employees receive excellent performance ratings, the employee whose pay falls in quartile 3 will receive a smaller percentage merit increase than the employee whose pay falls in quartile 1. The employee whose pay is in quartile 3 may receive a 7% merit increase for excellent job performance; whereas, the employee whose pay is in quartile 1 may receive a 12% merit increase for excellent job performance. Furthermore, using the merit pay grid may be logical but not fair. It is logical because compensation professionals decrease merit pay increase percentages as quartile ranks increase to control employees’ advancement through their pay ranges. If employees in quartile 1 and quartile 3 were to receive the same merit pay increase percentage, the salary for the employee in quartile 3 more than likely would exceed the maximum pay rate for the range quicker than would the salary for the employee in quartile 1 (Martocchio, 2011). Moreover, the merit pay grid may be viewed as unfair because employees performing the same job and displaying the same amount of effort and job performance are not receiving an equal percentage merit increase. Employees may view this procedure as an unfair work practice. Furthermore, the employees may believe that the company places more value on some employees’ job performance more so than on other employees’ job performance. Discuss the Basic Concept of Insurance and How This Concept Applies to Health Care The basic concept of insurance is to spread risks. Risk does not mean that an unfavorable incident will occur but that there is a possibility of an unfavorable incident occurring. All persons have the risk of suffering a major illness. Thus, the whole concept of insurance when relating to health care is that an individual will be able to spread his or her risk among other people so that if an unfavorable incident occurs, he or she will not be overwhelmed because of high health care costs (â€Å"Understand the Concept,† 2012). In the United States, health care is classified as a multiple payer system, which means that multiple parties are held accountable for paying the costs of health care. The multiple parties can include the government, employers, labor unions, employees, and unemployed individuals (Martocchio, 2011). Moreover, insurance allows an individual to pay a few hundred dollars a month in level premium rather than having to pay a $50,000 surgery bill once (â€Å"Understand the Concept,† 2012). Finally, health-related expenses can become costly; thus, it would be wise for individuals to have some form of insurance for health care. Health insurance covers the costs of various services that promote sound mental and physical health such as physical exams, surgical procedures, and psychotherapy. Normally employers enter into contractual relationships with insurance companies to provide employees and possibly their dependents with health care. Moreover, the insurance policy or contractual relationship will specify the amount of money insurance companies will pay for health-related services such as physical exams. Furthermore, employers pay insurance companies a negotiated amount or premium to create and sustain insurance policies (Martocchio, 2011). Health insurance premiums are costly. The average monthly health insurance premium for an employee is $309. 03. The average monthly health insurance premium for an employee and his or her family members is $708. 83. Numerous private sector companies make it mandatory that employees pay a portion of health insurance premiums because of the high costs. Employees only contributed a small percentage toward health insurance premiums in 2008. Moreover, employees with single coverage contributed around 19% and employees with family coverage contributed around 29% (Martocchio, 2011). Except For the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Remaining Legally Required Benefits Were Conceived Decades Ago. Describe the Changes in the Business Environment and Society That Might Affect the Relevance or Perhaps the Viability of Any of These Benefits There are several legally required benefits in the United States. Legally required benefits are the benefits provided by the Social Security Act, which are retirement; unemployment insurance; old-age, survivor, and disability insurance; and Medicare. Other legally required benefits are workers’ compensation insurance and family medical leave. The United States government created legally required benefits to protect individuals from calamitous incidents such as unemployment and disability. Legally required benefits try to maintain the flow of family income, promote worker safety and health, and assist families in critical situations. Furthermore, providing employees with legally required benefits can be costly to companies. Present day, companies in the United States spend an average $4,400 for each employee yearly to provide legally required benefits (Martocchio, 2011). Finally, the effect that legally required benefits have on costs and the competitiveness of businesses could affect the sustainability of legally required benefits For numerous years, there have been genuine concerns that there will be lack of funding to provide the legally required benefits, especially the social security benefits. There are continuous political debates about how to safeguard the viability of social security programs. President George W. Bush signed an executive order that established the new Presidential Commission to Strengthen Social Security. Politicians have debated the advantages and disadvantages of differing solutions to strengthen the Social Security system. The administration of George W. Bush focused on encouraging tax credits for persons who save for retirement and promoting additional savings through employer-sponsored retirement plans. Furthermore, the Democratic Party suggested enhancing the tax under the Federal Income Contributions Act to strengthen the trust fund. However, business leaders have opposed the suggestion of the Democratic Party. Business leaders, especially small business leaders are concerned that the increase in tax will lower company profits (Martocchio, 2011). Legally required benefits may hinder businesses in the short term because these benefits require sizeable employer expenditures. Employers are required to make contributions that are mandated by the Social Security Act and several state workers’ compensation laws. These mandated expenses prevent businesses from investing these funds in direct compensation programs designed to increase productivity and product or service quality (Martocchio, 2011). If the money for mandated expenses could be used for compensation programs then the company could increase its competitiveness. Furthermore, enhancing productivity, products, and services can help businesses become strong competitors against its competitors. Conclusion In conclusion, a job analysis will reveal compensation factors that will be used in the job evaluation to determine the worth of jobs. Compensations that are both internally consistent and market competitive can affect a company’s flexibility to respond to changes in the pay practices of competitors, and companies have to deal with the heavy compensation burdens as a result of bureaucracy. Usage of the merit pay grid is logical but unfair. Insurance allows employees to share the costs of health care with multiple parties. The effect that legally required benefits have on costs and the competitiveness of companies could cause companies to view the mandated benefits as burdensome. Finally, compensation will always have a vital role in the strategies of companies.